The Unwrappable Gift
by Amela333
Summary: Shanta hated his visits to Vampire Mountain, and most vampires hated them just as much. But this year, Shanta had a gift for a certain half-vampire that he hoped would help spread some Christmas warmth. Winner of RP and SB1's Christmas Contest!


**Disclaimer: **You know what this is supposed to say.

**A/N: ** For Roxypony and StayBeautiful1's Holly Jolly Christmas Contest! I felt completely lame posting an entry for a Christmas contest entry after Christmas, but I had such a hard time coming up with something for this contest. I literally wrote almost 7,000 words for a story, then scratched it, started another, scratched that, then finally came up with this.

SO, if anyone read (and hopefully you all did), Darren Shan's special Christmas story on his official site, you'll notice that I have stolen Shanta! All I'm borrowing from that story is Shanta, so assume while reading this that that story never happened.

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas (or Merry Whatever holiday you celebrate). Enjoy :D

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Like any man his age, Shanta was a creature of habbit. For 364 days of the year, he holed up in his bed, more content than a baby bird in its nest. Mrs. Claus brought him cookies and cakes, hot chocolate and coffee (with the occasional creamy addition from Shanta's best friend Bailey...), whenever he wanted. It was the life.

But then came that dreaded day when he had to endure what was surely the most strenuous job in the world: delivering presents.

It had to be the most stressful job out there. Brain surgery, no big deal, air traffic control, what of it? But to be the one children around the world depended on to bring them the gifts they had waited all year for? There was nothing more rattling. Not to mention dangerous: every year, for a couple weeks into January, Shanta placed his burliest elves at all entrances to his home, in case the little buggers weren't happy with what they'd gotten and decided to band together and hunt him down.

The truth was, once Shanta was out delivering all his presents, he found he didn't quite despise the actual job, but more the idea of it. In fact, he took great pleasure in bringing everyone something that would make them happy, or trying to, anyway. Or maybe, after all Mrs. Claus's verbal abuse to get him out of bed and on the road, he was just happy to get out of the house. Either way.

But there was one part of Christmas Eve, the very end, that Shanta didn't like. It...depressed him. If he could cut it out of his route, he would; God knows he desperately wished to. But even Shanta had laws to obey, and so, every year, Shanta concluded his Christmas Eve duties by paying a certain frigid, desolate mountain a visit.

It would be one thing if anyone in the mountain appreciated Shanta's visits, but no, _that _would be asking too much. The inhabitants were vampires, and so they always encountered Shanta as they were awake while he stopped by. Half of them ignored him completely, half scoffed, and the rest (Shanta was dreadful at fractions) just laughed at him. There were of course a few exceptions. If Gavner Purl or Kurda Smahlt happened to be at the mountain at Christmastime, they always greeted Shanta with a smile and offered him a mug of warm eggnog. If they was on break from their strenuous General duties, they would sit with Shanta by a fire and catch up.

Paris Skyle and Seba Nile were old chums with Shanta and always welcomed him to rest his reindeer and stop for a bite to eat. Shanta rarely took them up on these offers. The thought of eating their food made him a little woozy, and last time he'd let the reindeer be taken care of by the strange Guardians of Blood, Shanta's poor team had never been quite the same, even after therapy and an emergency visit from Cesar Millan.

Shanta supposed the mandate that he visit Vampire Mountain was in place so he could bring some jolliness to the miserable old blood suckers, but no such thing ever happened. This year, however, Shanta hoped things in Vampire Mountain would be a little different. This year, it wasn't just a bunch of dusty old vampires. This year, the mountain was plus one youngin'. Shanta had a special gift for young Master Shan, one he'd been preparing for for years.

**_Christmas Eve, Vampire Mountain..._**

"But it's Christmas!"

"Vampires do not celebrate human holidays."

"But I'm half human!"

Despite Darren's wailing, Larten Crepsley was being very strict; uncharacteristically so, even considering that he was never a very lenient teacher in the first place. Never before had Darren had a time at which his mentor forced him to go to bed, so the boy couldn't understand why tonight would be any different. It surprised him that Mr. Crepsley wanted to send him to bed at sundown as well, when every other vampire in the mountain was just waking up. And on Christmas, no less! Christmas had always been Darren's favorite time of year as a human, and while they were with the Cirque, he'd always had at least Evra to celebrate with. If he did nothing special this year, if he slept while the others were all awake and left lonely to wander the mountain on Christmas Day, it would be the first time in his life that he didn't have someone to celebrate Christmas with. And that would be like losing the last of his humanity.

"It's not fair," Darren whined. "Why are you making me go to my room? You've always wanted me up with the other vampires at night before, so what's different now?"

"What is different now is that I would like you to go back to your room, go to your coffin...your cot, and sleep through the night," Mr. Crepsley said through gritted teeth. "I am tired of having to insist."

The argument lasted on as such for another several minutes before a fuming, tearful Darren stormed into his room and slammed the door shut. Climbing into his cot and lying face down, he pulled the blanket over his head and cried himself to sleep.

Several hours later, the half-vampire found himself awakened by an uncomfortable rumbling in his stomach. It was then that Darren remembered that, at the time Mr. Crepsley had sent him to bed, he'd just been on his way to grab a bite to eat, as he hadn't had anything for a while. Well, if Mr. Crepsley wanted him to stay in bed hungry, that was just going to have to be too bad, because Darren was starving.

Darren slid off his cot, nudged open his door, and wandered out into the halls of Vampire Mountain towards the kitchen. Come to think of it, he wasn't exactly sure where the kitchens were, but he knew they were somewhere around here. He often heard Kurda shuffling down this way to grab a dawn snack when he couldn't sleep. At least, he assumed that was where Kurda went, but he wasn't actually sure.

His mental musings had done a good job of distracting him, and when his brain refocused on the task at hand, getting food, Darren realized he had no idea where he was, how to get to the kitchens, or how to return to his room. He felt a slight twinge of panic, but reminded himself that at this hour of the night, Vampire Mountain was abuzz with activity. He was likely to come across someone who could point him on his way.

Just as he began to think that he was lost somewhere in the untraveled underbelly of the mountain, he heard two familiar voices, and both were raised. Darren slowed to a stop, then crept forward towards the cavern where Gavner and Mr. Crepsley were arguing

"So why can't you let him have some fun?" Gavner growled.

"It is not a matter of not wanting him to have fun," Mr. Crepsley responded angrily. "I just do not see any gain in having him around when that corpulent buffoon show up."

"Oh, I dunno," Gavner said, mocking thoughtfulness. "Maybe to let him be happy and feel like a kid for a night? Would that kill you?"

"You know that Nicholas does not appreciate it when children see him," Mr. Crepsley continued. "In any case, I do not see how it is any of your concern. He is _my _student. Should you ever choose to take a student of your own, I shall not intrude with my personal opinions of how to raise them."

"Oh, stop being so stubborn," Gavner barked. "You want him to be stiff and dull, like you. All I want is for him to be able to be himself for one night of the year."

At this point, Darren stepped around the corner and into view of his mentor. When Mr. Crepsley's eyes set upon his young assistant, his lips pursed tighter than two stuck magnets.

"Darren," he said stiltedly. "I believe I asked you to go to your room for the evening."

"What are you talking about? Who's Nicholas?" Darren asked, completely ignoring his mentor and looking at Gavner. The bulkier vampire shifted uncomfortably on his feet, his gaze sliding over to Larten, who was staring at him with daggers in his eyes.

"Well?" Darren asked expectantly.

After one last look at Mr. Crepsley, Gavner drew himself up to his full height, assuming more of a authoritative, General-worthy stance. "Every year on Christmas Eve, Vampire Mountain gets a certain visitor," he told Darren. "Any ideas who it might be?"

Darren screwed his face up as he ran over the gamut of who it could be in his head. The best guess he could come up with was Desmond Tiny, but he felt it would be bad luck to say that aloud. Instead he shook his head and asked, "Who?"

Mr. Crepsley had apparently given up at this point, and, waving a hand irritably at Gavner, sat moodily in a chair, his arms folded. Gavner smiled at Darren. "It's Shanta Claus, of course!"

Darren's eyes widened. "What? Really? The real Shanta Claus come _here_? Like, the actual Shanta?"

"The one and only," Gavner confirmed, and Darren's face split into a grin.

"That is not his name," Mr. Crepsley commented spitefully. "His name is Nicholas Claus. I do not know why people insist on calling him by that ridiculous nickname."

Both Gavner and Darren ignored him. "When is he coming?" Darren asked excitedly. "Will he be here soon? Can I see him?"

"Sure you can," Gavner chuckled. "He always comes in through the east entrance. We can meet him there. Let's get going, he could be here any minute."

"Why doesn't he slide down the chimney?" Darren asked as he followed Gavner from the cavern. "Is that made up?"

"No," Gavner shook his head. "I believe he slides down a chimney any time it's possible, but after taking a couple slides down the rocky, jagged chimney in the Hall of Khledon Lurt, he got so scraped and torn up that he decided to use the door."

"Okay," Darren said. "That makes sense. But, does he bring everyone presents? There are a lot of people here."

From somewhere behind them, Mr. Crepsley gave a contemptuous sniff.

"No, he doesn't usually bring presents," Gavner said. "Vampire have little need of much. Why bring presents to those who will not use or appreciate them? His elves' building efforts are much better spent elsewhere."

"Oh," Darren said, his face falling a little.

"But you never know," Gavner said quickly. "Occasionally, he will bring gifts for any vampire who felt he required something during the year."

That put a bit more of a spring in Darren's step. He'd wanted a Nintendo Wii all year, and an iPod, and...then he reminded himself that there was no electricity in Vampire Mountain and none of those things would be at all useful. Maybe he'd take a book instead. Whatever the case, it was too late now to be making Shanta requests anyway.

Darren, Gavner, and Mr. Crepsley had apparently headed off to greet Shanta a little too late, because as they traveled through the Hall of Khledon, a deep, booming voice called out to Gavner. "Gavner Purl, is that you?"

Gavner spun around, beaming, and sure as anything, Shanta Claus was sitting at a table, a mug of ale in front of him and a smile on his bearded face. "Shanta!" Gavner said happily as Darren let out a gleeful gasp. Shanta looked almost exactly as he was portrayed when Darren was a human. Clad in red with a black belt and white fuzz on his hat and cuffs, he was short and round, with red cheeks and white hair. The only few differences were that Shanta had spilled some ale down his front, and there were crumbs of every sweet and cookie and cake imaginable stuck in his beard, mustache and on the velvet of his clothes. He also stunk of reindeer and booze, and when he laughed as Gavner embraced him, his belly didn't shake like a bowl full of jelly, but instead rippled like a stormy ocean. But he was Shanta, so Darren didn't complain.

Mr. Crepsley lingered back as though trying to hide from Shanta, but Darren hurried forward, crying, "Shanta!" It struck him how immature his joyous cries sounded, but he didn't care. Shanta Claus turned to him, smiling warmly at the young half-vampire as he skidded to a halt in front of him.

"Master Shan," Shanta said, spreading his arms out to pull the boy into a hug. "Merry Christmas to you!"

"You know my name?" Darren said in awe.

"Of course I do," Shanta said. "Even half-vampires remain on my list of naughty-and-nice. You've been good this year, I can tell. And for it, I've brought you a gift. It is not a gift I could wrap, nor a gift my elves could construct for you, but it's a gift I hope you will hold dear for many years to come."

Gavner, sensing that the gift was perhaps something personal, meandered back to his old ginger friend, who was sulking at a table by himself over a mug of warm blood. Gavner slid in next to Larten on the bench, crossing his arms and staring at him. At first, Larten ignored him and glared down into his drink, but after a minute, he looked up. "What?" he asked, and his voice had lost a bit of its snarl from before.

Gavner kept his voice's volume low so Darren and Shanta wouldn't hear him. "I'm sorry Larten, but I couldn't help myself. The boy deserves to see Shanta if he wants to. Doesn't it make you feel good to see him so happy?"

Larten looked up at Gavner, the emerald in his eyes shining. "It makes me feel guilty that he does not get to feel that happiness more often."

"So is that what this is all about?" Gavner said incredulously. "You didn't want to see him happy because it makes you feel _guilty_?"

"That is not what I meant," Larten said quickly, looking away. "Of course I am glad that he is happy. I only feel that it is taking him back to childhood - to humanhood. Eventually he is going to have to leave that all behind, Gavner, and you know that. I fear that this will make it harder."

"Absurd," Gavner said, waving away Larten's words. "It will give him fond memories to look back on when his life becomes difficult. Don't deprive him that. Besides, it would be good for every vampire to take pleasure in things like Christmas every now and then, you included." As an afterthought, Gavner added, "Darren begins his Trials of Initiation in two nights. Gods know he'll be needing little pleasantries to remember during those. "

Larten nodded, his gazed fixed once again on his mug. "I suppose that you are correct," he admitted. "For a bloody annoying fool, you have an infuriating habit of always being right, Gavner Purl."

Gavner grinned at his friend. "'Course I'm right. Maybe I'll find myself an assistant one of these days. I reckon I'd be a decent mentor." He seemed to think about that for a second, then shrugged. "Ah, well," he said. "I've got time ahead of me." He looked up and nudged Larten with his elbow. "Here come Shanta and Darren now, what d'you say you give yourself a nice Christmas memory and crack a grin?"

Following Gavner's advice, Larten smiled as Darren and Shanta came over to their table.

"I'm going to bid several of the other vampires a Happy Christmas," Shanta said, "and then I'm back off to the North Pole. I must say, this was one of the nicest visits I've had to the mountain. It was very nice to meet you, Darren."

"Thank you, Shanta," Darren said, and Larten noted that, though his assistant was smiling, his eyes looked a little damp around the edges. "Thanks for the gift. I loved it, really, I did."

"I'm glad," Shanta smiled back at him. "Gavner, perhaps you would like to accompany me to pay a visit to Kurda Smahlt? I have more map making materials to give him."

"Of course," Gavner said, sliding off the bench. "See you later, Larten, Darren."

"Merry Christmas to all," Shanta said, and he and Gavner walked side-by-side from the hall, beginning to catch up on old times.

As soon as Shanta and Gavner had left the hall, Darren cleared his throat. "I guess I'll just go back to my room now," he said. "Goodnight, Mr. Crepsley."

For a moment Larten watched him go, but before Darren could get far, Larten was on his feet following him. "Darren," he said, falling into step beside him. "I want you to know...well, I thought...I wanted to say that I am sorry that I wanted you to miss Christmas. I felt that celebrating it would remind you of the life I have forced you to leave behind. It did not occur to me until Gavner pointed it out that perhaps it would serve as a nice reminder to you off happier times, both now and in the future."

"Well," Darren said slowly, "thanks, I guess, if you were just trying to help. But Gavner was right, in more ways than one, about the happy memories thing." He paused for a second before asking, "Do you want to know what my present was?"

"Yes," Larten said interestedly. "Yes, I would very much like to know. It obviously was not the conventional, gift-wrapped toy."

"No, it wasn't," Darren nodded. He cleared his throat, and Larten could see a certain faraway sadness appear in his eyes. "For the last couple years, Shanta sent one of his elves to the town where I grew up. To watch my family."

Larten felt a bit of a squeeze on his chest as he realized what the gift had been.

"The elf came back and told Shanta what he had seen so Shanta could tell me how they're doing. Annie's in her first year of high school this year. I can't believe it. She was so young when I left, remember? Well, I guess you wouldn't. She has a lot of friends, she's got really good grades, and she made the school's girls' traveling soccer team. I never remember her liking soccer, but I guess she took it up after I...you know, left." Mr. Crepsley could see Darren hands shaking a little at his sides. "My mom goes and visits my grave every day, and the whole family goes on Saturday. My dad got a new job working at home a few years ago, so he and my mom can be together more during the day. I guess they've needed each other's company now more than ever."

Darren was purposefully avoiding Mr. Crepsley's eye as he pushed the door of his room open and went inside. Mr. Crepsley lingered at the door, unsure of whether his student would want to be alone or if he should follow him in. He wondered if he was that last person Darren would want to be with right not. However, Darren continued talking several seconds later, and Larten stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

"But they're healing," Darren said. "Shanta says they're a lot better than they were the first couple years without me. He said they're getting better every day, taking joys in the little things. They have each other to help them through the days when they think a lot about me."

Darren sat down on the cot and folded his hands, staring down at them and biting the corner of his lip. Mr. Crepsley sat beside him and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Darren, I...I am sorry," he choked. "I am sorry I took them away from you, and you from them. It was very, very wrong of me."

"No," Darren shook his head suddenly, looking up. "I only told you all that 'cause I wanted to tell someone. I didn't say it to make you feel bad, I swear. It..It was a long time ago. I forgive you. I mean," he smiled a little bit, "I did steal your spider."

Larten looked down, thinking for the hundredth time what a cruel exchange it had been, making Darren become a vampire to save his best friend's life.

"Even though I miss my family, and it makes me sad to think about them, it was really nice to hear about them from Shanta. I always wonder about them, and worry about how they're doing, so I'm glad I talked to him. And this Christmas can be a happy memory, 'cause I know my family's all right."

Larten nodded slowly. "I am glad to hear that, then," he said. "I had no idea you worried so much about them."

The two of them sat in silence for several minutes, Larten's arm still around Darren as he thought about his young assistant and all he had gone through, and he himself and the family he had left behind. Though he hadn't thought about it in years, it had always upset him that he'd never known what had really happened to his own family, though they were of course all long dead by now. He wasn't sure what their lives had been like, how they'd died, if they had been happy. Not knowing hurt, and he didn't want his assistant to ever feel the way he eternally would.

Pulling Darren into a hug, he whispered, "If there is ever a time that you would like to go back, to check in on your family in person, I will take you. Of course they cannot see you, but that does not mean that you cannot see them. Any time you want, as many times as you like. Consider it my Christmas gift to you."

"Thanks Mr. Crepsley," Darren said, and Larten could feel one of Darren's teardrops drip onto his neck before his assistant pulled out of the hug. "Really, thank you."

Mr. Crepsley stood, feeling that, maybe now, Darren would like some privacy. As his mentor left his room, Darren didn't object. He wanted a chance to be alone with memories and thoughts of his family. Except...

"Wait," Darren called, making Mr. Crepsley pause in the door. He smiled tearfully up at his mentor. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Crepsley. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Darren" Mr. Crepsley answered quietly. "Merry Christmas."

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And there you have it! Reviews make me almost as happy as Christmas does, so please please please leave me one, even if it's just a short one! I really do appreciate every review I receive :) Thanks for reading!


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